Terrigal Avoca maintained their unbeaten start to the year in the Hunter Haval Black Diamond Cup competition with a 11.15.81 to 4.3.27 win over Warners Bay, a loss which sees the Bulldogs remain winless for 2017.

The game at Feighan Oval started in enterprising fashion with both teams keen on quick ball movement and play on at all costs.

Terrigal Avoca had the early ascendancy but wasted opportunities before a goal off the ground to Warners Bay’s Dave McGuiness against the run of play opened the goal scoring for the day.

Panthers ruckman, Sam Ellis, who was superb all day responded almost immediately, however from this point on Warners Bay gained the upper hand to kick the next three goals to take a 13-point lead into the first change.

That was as good as the Bulldogs got however as the Panthers began to dominate the clearances and their superior defensive pressure prevented Warners Bay from kicking another goal for the game and in fact were kept scoreless in both the second and final quarters.

Terrigal Avoca’s ability to shut down the game and turn it into a stoppage battle which was dominated by Ellis and Will Delahunty was key to their success and allowed Kurt Fleming to use and pace and skill on the outside to ensure most of the game was played in Terrigal Avoca’s forward half.

Newcomer Daniel Heuston was excellent on debut rewarding himself with two goals whilst Corey Billins (two goals) and Ryan Webster (three goals) were also dangerous up forward.

Only downside for the Panthers was the reoccurrence of a thigh injury to former coach and influential midfielder, Chris Bishop which will have him in doubt for next week’s blockbuster against Cardiff.

Cardiff maintained their moniker as “The Cardiac Kids” with a come-from-behind 11-point win over Killarney Vale at Adelaide St Oval. Final scores were Cardiff 14.7.91 to Killarney Vale 12.8.80.

Cardiff were three points down at three-quarter time but kicked two priceless last-quarter goals whilst holding the Bombers to three behinds in the last stanza. The Bombers actually kicked seven goals to five in the first quarter but could only manage five majors for the rest of the match.

Coach Scott Reed and Harley Bernleitner kicked four goals each for a gallant Bombers outfit.

Next week, Killarney Vale travel to Nelson Bay and in a blockbuster BARTV Match of the Round, first-placed Terrigal Avoca host second-placed Cardiff at Hylton Moore Oval. All games commence at2.00pm.

In the Black Diamond Plate, Gosford moved back into the top four with a comfortable win over The Entrance Bateau Bay whilst Wyong Lakes remain in third position with a win over Lake Macquarie at Don Small Oval.

In the GE Women’s competition, Gosford moved into second position with a win over Warners Bay whilst Killarney Vale and Wyong Lakes also had wins over Cardiff and Lake Macquarie respectively to maintain their position in the final six.